Director, Risk Management

The Global Risk & Compliance (GRC) organization serves as American Express’ independent risk management function. GRC maintains the enterprise risk framework, provides oversight and challenge, and monitors key risks. By embedding risk discipline into strategy and operations, GRC enables responsible growth, innovation, and long-term value creation while protecting customers and shareholders.

The Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) organization within Global Risk and Compliance (GRC) is responsible for identifying and managing risk across all processes and geographies at American Express. 

The Director, Chief Risk Officer Spain team, within the GRC organization, is responsible for establishing the second line of defense framework for the Spanish Legal Entities.  We are seeking an experienced risk leader to be a part of this exciting journey.  The incumbent will lead a risk professional to identify, assess, measure, manage and report risk and strengthen the governance structure for our Spanish Legal Entities (American Express Europe, S.A. and American Express Payments Europe, S.L.U.) issuing and acquiring businesses.

• Develop risk tolerance limits, and establish risk appetite metrics and escalation thresholds for all major risk stripes in accordance with regulatory requirements, and risk appetite.
• Identify emerging risks in accordance with the risk appetite program
• Ensure successful execution against relevant policies and frameworks for the ILE, including establish policies, practices, and other control mechanisms to manage key enterprise risks
• Monitor and report on aggregate risk profile, initiating appropriate actions to ensure adherence to risk appetite and support successful escalation of risks to the Governance Committees

• Participate actively in American Express Europe, S.A. and American Express Payments Europe, S.L.U. governance committees, ensuring risk governance, including Risk Committee, Audit Commission, Anti Money Laundering Committee, Operational Risk Committee.

• Provide oversight of internal control framework and management of risks, including Third party & outsourcing
• Provide effective challenge through reviews of critical processes and projects and governance structures of American Express Europe, S.A. and American Express Payments Europe, S.L.U. processes, including NPA.
• Maintain and continuously enhance Legal Entity Risk Management Framework
• Collaborate effectively with GM & CEO, Credit and Fraud Risk, Compliance, GCO, Operations Excellence / Control Management, Treasury, Controllership and other stakeholders in the first line teams to ensure regulatory compliance and manage regulatory relationship and exams for safety & soundness related regulations
• Lead the functional oversight of risk management activities including the oversight of key risk-taking activities and core risk controls across American Express Europe, S.A. and American Express Payments Europe, S.L.U.
• Provide oversight of American Express Europe, S.A. and American Express Payments Europe, S.L.U. operations through the establishment and ongoing maintenance of an effective enterprise risk management program

• 8+ years of leadership experience in risk management, compliance, treasury, controllership, or a similar role
• Strong analytical skills and business acumen with a risk-reward control perspective; and the ability to balance commercial objectives with sound risk management

• Strong understanding of local market regulatory requirements and payment institution industry

• Experience in interacting with regulators and familiarity with Europe regulatory landscape and requirements
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage multiple priorities under pressure
• Fluency in English (verbal and written)
• Advanced degree in business, economics, engineering, or a related field or a related quantitative field is preferred professional certifications such as FRM, CFA, are valued

• Familiarity with analytical methods and tools would be preferred

 Leadership Skills:

• Proven leader who can build, inspire, and coach a team with a passion for the business
• Excellent relationship and influence management skills with the ability to build productive relationships across teams and levels of seniority; including senior leaders, board of directors, regulators, and stakeholders
• Self-confident with a strong sense of integrity and the ability and willingness to challenge and be challenged
• Proactive in identifying issues, delivering and escalating key findings, and advising on recommended solutions to correct issues or mitigate risks
• Ability to communicate oversight findings to colleagues, business partners, and senior leaders
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

 

Employment eligibility to work with American Express in Spain is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for this position.